Born out of efforts to crack down on illegal drag racing on Memphis interstates, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and Memphis law enforcement have launched the "Bluff City Task Force." The Commercial Appeal reports that the group is focused on disrupting crime through "strategic deployment of high-visibility patrols in communities facing the highest rates of violence." Task force members have recovered illegal firearms, seized drugs and arrested repeat offenders, according to a press release from the Tennessee Department of Homeland Security. “In Memphis, we are standing shoulder to shoulder — state troopers, deputies and city officers — making our streets safer one traffic stop at a time,” said THP Commander Col. Matt Perry.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last Thursday released one of the Covenant School shooter's journals, without explanation, reports the Tennessean. In July 2024, Davidson County Chancellor I'Ashea Myles ruled that the writings would not be made public, agreeing with Covenant families that the shooter’s writings were protected by copyright laws and should not be treated as public records. Several news outlets, as well as Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, had petitioned for release of the journals, and the Tennessee Star claimed in September 2024 to have published 90 pages of the shooter's "manifesto." The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) in April released the final report on the Covenant School shooting, concluding that the shooter, Aubrey Hale, had sought notoriety, acted alone in planning and carrying out the attack, and left no reason for the attack or choice of target. In May, former Lt. Garet Davidson was indicted on charges of stealing documents related to the shooting.

Foley & Lardner LLP has announced the opening of its newest office in Nashville with the addition of three corporate partners to support the firm’s growing Health Care & Life Sciences and Manufacturing sectors. New partners Jesse Neil, Brent Bowman and Jon Gaston join the firm from Holland & Knight LLP. Two Foley litigation partners, Kevin Hyde and Lauren Loew, also will work from Nashville to help establish and grow the office. “Nashville is a perfect fit for us. It’s a vibrant market marked by robust growth and a strong pipeline of corporate investment, particularly in health care, life sciences, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure — industries that closely align with our firm’s strengths,” said Daljit Doogal, chairman and CEO of the firm. The new office is located at 501 Commerce St., Ste. 1650, Nashville 37203 and can be reached via phone at 629-312-9200. Read more in a press release from the firm.

Whether you’re halfway through the calendar year or nearing the end of the fiscal year, one thing is clear: now may be the perfect time to pause, recharge and refocus.

For young attorneys, well-being often takes a back seat to the demands of the job — client needs, billable hours and long days in the office. By this point in the year, it’s easy to overlook the signs that you’re running on empty. But this is your opportunity to reset.

Take a moment to check in with yourself: Are you constantly tired? Struggling to stay motivated? Snapping at colleagues or feeling mentally drained? These are classic signs of burnout, and they shouldn’t be ignored. The good news is that small, intentional changes can make a big difference. Protect your evenings, take real lunch breaks, try that new gym class, and carve out time to get outside.

It might also be time to reassess your workload. Prioritizing your well-being includes recognizing your limits and asking for support when you need it. Whether that means checking in with a mentor, using firm-provided wellness resources, or simply saying “no” when your plate is full, setting boundaries is a strength, not a weakness.

With six months of the year still ahead, pause, recharge and refocus. Success and wellness aren’t in conflict. They go hand in hand. Invest in yourself now, so you can close out the year with clarity, energy and purpose.

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The TBA Young Lawyers Division continued its Exploration Series at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Spencer, one of the state’s scenic natural landmarks. TBA members attended presentations from TBA YLD District Representative Mary Frances DeVoe, as well as John Rice, Thomas Shumate and Joanna McCracken, with Patrick Morrison, the YLD board’s health and wellness coordinator, serving as moderator. The event included a ranger-led hike to the falls and a group lunch. The Exploration Series offers members quality CLE programming in an unplugged, outdoor setting while fostering professional networking. Upcoming events in the series are scheduled at Meeman-Shelby Forest and Long Hunter state parks. See photos from the event.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division will continue its CLE Exploration Series this fall. On Oct. 10 the group will hold a program at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park outside Memphis, which will also serve as the kick-off to the "Does It Please the Court?" CLE series. The event will return to Middle Tennessee at Long Hunter State Park on April 10, 2026. Don't miss these opportunities to combine learning with nature and networking. 

KAREN NELSON MOORE, Circuit Judge. In this suit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, defendant police officers appeal from the district court’s partial denial of their motion to dismiss on qualified-immunity grounds. Because the complaint adequately states a claim for relief we AFFIRM the district court’s order, and, to the extent the officers ask us to resolve disputed issues of fact, we DISMISS their appeal for lack of jurisdiction.

MURPHY, Circuit Judge. A district court originally sentenced Leonel Hinojosa to 240 months in prison for shooting a man during a robbery. But we vacated his sentence because the record left unclear whether the court properly used one of Hinojosa’s prior convictions to calculate his guidelines range. See United States v. Hinojosa, 67 F.4th 334, 343–47 (6th Cir. 2023). The court could rely on this prior conviction only if it “resulted in” Hinojosa’s incarceration during “any” time in the 15 years before he committed his current offenses. U.S.S.G. § 4A1.2(e)(1). On remand, the government presented additional evidence about Hinojosa’s criminal history. The record now shows that—but for this prior conviction— Hinojosa would have served less time in prison during the guideline’s 15-year “lookback” period. And we hold that this “but for” causal connection between the prior conviction and the extra incarceration satisfies the guideline’s “resulted in” language. Apart from this question, the district court also reasonably sentenced Hinojosa to 240 months due to his history of violence. This time, then, we affirm his sentence.

ALICE M. BATCHELDER, Circuit Judge. In this interlocutory appeal, Matthew Simon, a local housing-code official, argues that qualified immunity shields him from suit on Belinda Fitzpatrick’s claims under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. The district court denied Simon’s motion to dismiss after it determined that, based on the facts alleged, Simon had plausibly violated Fitzpatrick’s clearly established constitutional rights. For the reasons below, we reverse.